Dust-guard for car-axle boxes



(.No Model.)

A. L. OUSHMAN.

DUST. GUARD FOR'GAR AXLE BOXES.

No. 437,643. Patented Sept. 30, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC l ABE L. OUSHMAN, OF CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

DUST-GUARD FOR CAR-AXLE BbXES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 437,643, dated September 30, 1890.

Application filed May 9, 1890. Serial No. 351,112- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABE L. CUSHMAN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Concord, in the county of Merrimac and State of New Hampshire, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Dust-Guards for Oar-Axle Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in dust-guards for car-axle boxes in which blocks operated by springs in a casing act in conjunction with a car axle or journal; and the object of my improvements are, first, to provide a dust-guard that may be used on any ordinary car-axle box or housing; second, to provide a dust-guard that is positive against the entrance of dust into the box or the exit of oil from the box, and, third, a dust-guard that is simple in construction, easily operated, and repaired at a small cost. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional view of the housing, showing the dustguard in position on the journal. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the dustguard with one side removed to show the blocks in position within the dust guard proper, and the springs that operate the blocks. Fig. 3 is a side View of the strips at either side of the blocks that hold them within proper bounds, and the sides equal to the diameter of the journal, so that they may be worn ofi and still retain the same relative position to the journal.

Similarletters referto similarpart-s throughout the several views.

The axle box or housing may be the kind known as the master car-builders standard, or any other kind of an axle-box serving the purpose of the same, if the inner end is provided with a chamber or a receptacle for the purpose of containing the dust-guard, and a slot at the top entering into the chamber to allow the admittance of the dust-guard into the receptacle.

The frame or casing C may be made of tin or any other kind of suitable material adapted thereto-in this case, of tinto allow the blocks 1) to be as thick as possible, which may be made of any kind of wood suitable for that purpose, one end being cut to the shape that will conform tothe outside periphery of the journal C, the opposite ends being out at right angles to eitherof its sides, except one corner, which is removed to admit of the springs c c o c, hereinafter referred to. One side of the aforesaid blocks 1) b, nearest the center of the guard O, is cut out or provided with atongue and groove to allow one of the blocks to pass by the other sulficient to make a tight joint between the blocks, and also'to allowthe wood to shrink and swell and not bind within the dust-guard casing C, so that the springs 0 will hold the blocks b in contact with the journal B.

The casing in thiscase is preferably made of tin, of the proper size to allow theedges to 6 5 be turned up sufficient to make a receptacle of the required size for the reception of the blocks 6 b b b and the springs c at either corner, and also the strips D D, at opposite sides of the blocks 1), which may be the same dis- 7o tance apart as the diameter of the journal 0, and the aforesaid strips are provided with slots at the ends to allow the wires aato pass through and have a lateral movement to take up any wear in the blocks or journal, the latter passing through a round hole in the center of the casin g C,which is also provided with longitudinally-extending slots d d d d on either side, through which passes the wires a a, secured to the blocks 19 at either end.

The wires (1 a, previously referred to, and shown more fully in Fig. 2, are securedto the blocks b b by means of a hole drilled in the outer side ofthe blocks b, nearest'the casing O 0, through which passes the wires 0. a, and through the slots in the strips D D and the slots 01 in the casing, sufficient to allow the wires 0, to pass up the side of the casing O, and after reaching the top they are bent at right angles to the sides of the casing, allowing them to pass across the top at a distance from the casing to allow the lateral movement of the wires on a in the slotd, one of the wires being longer than the other above the casing, the shorter wire secured to the blocks at the top of the casing, the longer wire to the opposite end, so that, taking hold of the wires and bringing them together, the blocks will be drawn apart sufficient to allow the journal C to pass through with ease, and when the wires are again released the blocks will come in con tact with the journal and beheld therewith by the springs c c c 0 at either corner of the casing C. o

I am aware that prior to my invention dustguards have been made. I therefore do not wires a a, so arranged as to hold the blocks ro apart when the wires are drawn together at the top, substantially as set forth and described.

ABE L. OUSHMAN.

Witnesses:

O. T. CARTER, CHARLES QUAID. 

